Messalonskee Lake and Stream
| Messalonskee Lake Snow Pond |
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|---|---|
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| Lake's Northernmost Bay | |
| Location | Belgrade Lakes region, Central Maine |
| Coordinates | 44°32′11″N 69°43′39″W / 44.5364°N 69.7275°WCoordinates: 44°32′11″N 69°43′39″W / 44.5364°N 69.7275°W |
| Lake type | natural |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Settlements | Oakland, Sidney, Augusta, Belgrade |
Messalonskee Lake and Stream is a body of water in the Belgrade Lakes region of Central Maine, USA. It is bordered by the towns of Oakland, Sidney, and Belgrade. The lake is a 9 mile long, narrow, natural creation, resulting from continental collision and glacial scouring. A dam originally built in the town of Oakland in 1905 increased the lake's size.
In the first part of the 20th century, Messalonskee Stream provided waterpower for Oakland's Cascade Woolen Mill, as well as for a number of factories responsible for Oakland's long-defunct title as "axehead capital of the world."
Messalonskee Lake is home to a great variety of wildlife, including great blue herons, bass, yellow perch, white perch, sunfish, painted and snapping turtles, loons, and now the lake has recently have Bald Eagles come to the lake. The surrounding community has recently formed the Messalonskee Lake Association in the interest of its protection and preservation.
Like many Maine lakes, Messalonskee Lake has seen infestations of Milfoil.[1]
The lake is also more commonly called Snow Pond.
Many summer camps and related tourist accommodations are located on Messalonskee Lake, among them the New England Music Camp, which was founded in 1937.
